Republic woman arrested Wednesday in 2011 death of her toddler

Nov. 7, 2013

Julie Horstmyer was indicted by a grand jury Oct. 30 and arrested Wednesday

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Documents say a Republic woman accused in connection with the death of her toddler deliberately gave the child a bitter-tasting antidepressant and did not seek medical help before the drug killed the child.

Julie M. Horstmyer’s Oct. 30 indictment by Christian County grand jury on felony charges of first-degree involuntary manslaughter and first degree endangering the welfare of a child reveals the 2-year-old child was Horstmyer’s.

Horstmyer, 31, who was arrested Wednesday, is accused of causing the child’s death by giving her sertraline (sold under the trade names of Zoloft or Lustral), which is used to treat depression and anxiety disorders.

The child, identified only as B.R. in court documents, “died as a result of an acute overdose of sertraline (Zoloft).”

The indictment states that between the dates of Nov. 4 and 5, 2011, Horstmyer “recklessly caused the death of B.R. by causing B.R. to ingest sertraline,” and endangered the welfare of the child by “failing to seek medical assistance for B.R. after B.R. ingested sertraline.”

Under state statues, one of two ways in which a person may commit the Class C felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter is to “recklessly cause the death of another person.”

Class C felonies are punishable by up to seven years in prison upon conviction.

Horstmyer reportedly had a prescription for Zoloft at the time of her child’s death.

Law enforcement agents don’t believe the toddler took the pills by mistake. “The experts agree this was not an accidental ingestion. Sertraline is bitter tasting and the child could not swallow a pill,” the court document states.

Christian County sheriff’s deputies took advice from a professor of pharmacology and toxicology when investigating the child’s death.

Horstmyer’s bond was set at $75,000. She has an address in Republic but reportedly lives out of state.

An arraignment before Circuit Judge Mark Orr has been scheduled for today. No attorney for Horstmyer is noted in court records.